St. Mary 4-H Clubs Celebrate

St. Mary’s 4-H Clubs participated in the annual Achievement Day activities at the Oracabessa High School, Tuesday (March 30).
The event, held under the theme “Youth involvement in local food production for sustainability,” featured displays by a number of government and non-government agencies, a lunch hour concert and a prizegiving ceremony.
Among the competitive events during the day’s activities were public speaking, the St. Mary 4-H Boy and Girl of the Year contest, agri-processing and environmental and agricultural events.
A total of 30 clubs participated in the show, a number of which represented various communities and basic schools in those communities.
The inclusion of basic school clubs in the event was featured for the second consecutive year, and among the events in which the members participated were table setting, pet and plant identification.
Focus was placed on banana production, and the multiplicity of derivatives that can come from the cultivation of the crop through agri processing.
Dwight Grey of St. Mary High School and Shanique Austin of Mary Mount High School were selected as the St. Mary 4-H Boy and Girl of the year, respectively.
The competitive events were won by Retreat Primary and Junior High School with second and third places going to Marymount High School and St. Mary High School.
Speaking to the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) during the event, 4-H Parish Development Officer for St. Mary, Charlene Edwards-Butler, said she was proud of the way the clubbites performed during the day’s activities.
Expressing satisfaction with the high quality of the projects displayed, she said the strong rivalry and competiveness among the clubs was an indication of the seriousness with which they regard their participation in the show.
In congratulating the 4-H leaders and teachers, for their role in preparing the clubbites for the event, she encouraged residents to give their support to the Jamaica 4-H Clubs.